Portuguese Rally Championship
Team Hyundai Portugal crew Kris Meeke and Stuart Loudon struck a potentially decisive blow in the battle for the national rally championship in Portugal at Rali da Água (September 13-14). The i20 N Rally2 pair dominated the weekend, winning eight of the nine stages and leading from start to finish. The result allowed them to retake the points’ lead with a single round remaining after their main rivals were forced to retire. Their exit allowed Ricardo Teodósio and José Teixeira to complete a 1-2 for the Hyundai Portugal-backed team.
Belgian Rally Championship
Cédric Cherain is in the middle of a three-way battle for the Belgian Rally Championship after strong results on the last two rounds. Cherain and co-driver Damien Withers scored their second win of the season at the Omloop van Vlaanderen (September 6-7) to boost their title hopes as both their main rivals faltered. The BMA-run pair kept continued their strong form at the East Belgian Rally (September 28), finishing second after a thrilling battle for victory to sit just seven points behind with only the Spa Rally remaining in the season.
Turkish Rally Championship
In his first start in the national championship with an i20 N Rally2, Turkish teenager Kerem Kazaz finished a fantastic second at the ESOK Rally (September 13-15). Though he and French co-driver Corentin Silverstre led from the start of the rally they were part of a tight battle for the lead, their narrow lead ebbing back and forth as they and their rivals exchanged fastest times. Kazaz appeared to have secured a remarkable victory, only for a 10-second penalty for a false start on the final stage to drop him back to second.
Slovenian Rally Championship
Hyundai Slovenia-supported crew Rok Turk and Blanka Kacin continued their incredible 2024, despite facing international opposition at Rally Nova Gorica (September 27-29). Turk and Kacin were second fastest on the Friday evening Super Special that started the biggest event of the Slovenian national season but moved into the lead after the opening test of Saturday morning. After holding the lead through the rest of the day the pair were at their unstoppable best on Sunday, winning all six stages and stretching their lead to over one minute, 40 seconds.
German Rally Championship
Danish crew Simon Vallentin and Karsten Isaksen finishes second overall in Germany at the ADAC Ostsee Rally (September 6-7). The i20 N Rally2 pairing were consistently quick on the stages, winning four of the ten stages and briefly leading after SS5. Their pace allowed them to pull clear of their fellow i20 N Rally2 crew Nico Knacker and Thomas Puls who completed a double podium for Hyundai Motorsport customers in third, while maintaining pressure on the leaders.
New Zealand Rally Championship
In his third start in the New Zealand national rally championship this season Hayden Paddon dominated the Daybreaker Rally (September 13-14). Sharing an i20 N Rally2 with Jared Hudson for the weekend, the pair won by over six minutes overall after setting the fastest time on every stage of the event. Their pace, and the performance of the i20 N Rally2, was especially evident on the three longer – 30km+ – stages, where they were a minute faster than their nearest competitor on each occasion.
French Tarmac Rally Championship
2C Competition crew Eric Camilli and Thibault de la Haye completed the overall podium at Rallye Coeur de France (September 28-29) in the French Tarmac Rally Championship. Their pair held a podium spot throughout the rally and were only outside the top three on one of the 13 stages. They finished the event with their best pace of the weekend, winning the final four tests. The performance allowed then to halve their deficit to the overall leader and move to just one second behind the second placed crew, though the end of the rally prevented them making any progress in the overall standings.
Spanish Rally Championship
On his debut with the i20 N Rally2 Efrén Llarena become the first Hyundai Motorsport customer to stand on the podium this year in the Spanish Superchampionship. At Rally Princesa de Asturias (September 6-7) he and co-driver Sara Fernández survived a puncture on the opening stage and improved their pace and position during the rally, moving into the podium places during the second day of the event. They briefly held second place, before slipping back into third on the final stage.
Danish Rally Championship
Simon Vallentin clinched victorý at the final round of Danish Rally Championship and the Nordic Rally Championship title at Rally Stoholm (September 27-28). Vallentin and co-driver Line Lykke Jensen led from start to finish at the event, which played out in changing conditions, making the roads treacherous and tyre choices difficult. Victory on all four of the stages run on Friday established the pair in the lead before six more top times on Saturday allowed them to build their advantage to more than a minute in the final results. Combined with their second place at Rally Larvik earlier in the year, the victory confirmed them as Nordic champions for 2024.